Portable cable-anchor fence.



Patented Jan. 2|, I902. A. L; WEST. V PORTABLE vGABLl-I ANCHOR FENCE.

(Application filed Sept. 11, 1901.)

(No Model.)

11%. ha zoom UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALLEN L. VEST, OF CUBA, OHIO.

PORTABLE CABLE-ANCHOR'FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 691 ,425, dated January 21, 1902.

Application filed September 11, 1901. Serial No. 75,051. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALLEN L. WEST, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cuba, in the county of Clinton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Cable-Anchor Fences; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to fences, and more particularly to that class of fences composed of detachable panels and supports therefor, adapting the fence to be easily taken down and moved from place to place as desired. The primary object of the invention is to provide an efficient portable fence composed of a few simple and inexpensive parts which may be easily and quickly put together or taken apart in erecting or removing the fence without the labor and expense incident to digging numerous holes and setting posts, as usually required in this class of fences, and which will serve as an effective barrier against the passage of hogs, cattle, and horses and effectually resist destruction or being blown down by wind and storm.

The invention will first be hereinafter more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are to be taken as a part of this specification, and then pointed out in the claims at the end of the description.

In said drawings, Figure 1 represents a perspective view of aportable cable-anchor fence constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a detail fragmentary view of a'portion of the fence, illustrating the connections between the cable and anchor-brace and panels. Fig. 3 is a detail transverse sectional elevation, and Fig. 4 a detail fragmentary View, of parts shown in Fig. 3, illustrating the method of tying the brace to the cable, the flexible wire fastening being omitted in Fig. 3 in order to more clearly show the connection between the cable and anchorbrace.

In the drawings the letter A may denote a cable or wire of the desired thickness and tensile strength, running the length of the fence and secured at each end to anchorposts, such as B, said wire or cable being stretched in any suitable manner to render the same taut.

C C denote separate panels of fencing material, which may consist of any desired number of longitudinal rails c 0, attached to up rights or bars C C, preferably three or more, having their upper ends detachably secured to the cable A by suitable fastening devices, preferably in the manner indicated in Figs. 1

and 2 of the drawings, wherein the letter at denotes a staple inserted in the upright- C, so as to embrace a piece or section of flexible Wire D, the ends of which are twisted or wrapped one or more times around the cable, which extends along the opposite side of said upright, whereby the uprights and cable are firmly tied together in such manner as to relieve the cable of any weight resulting from its connections with the fence-panels. The lower ends of the uprights or the bottom rails of the panels rest upon the ground, the said uprights preferably having their lower ends slightly embedded, so as to hold the bottom of the panel against lateral displacement. At intervals throughout the length of the fence are placed anchor-braces E E, which, as shown, are recessed or notched, as at e, to fit over or embrace the cable as ahook, adapted to exert a downward pull and resist upward strains tending to lift the cable, and are provided with staples e, on the side thereof opposite said notches, to receive and hold a section of flexible wire e the ends of which are wrapped or twisted around the cable at the .opposite side of the upright, so as to firmly The lower end of said.

tie the two together. anchor-brace may be provided with a swinging loop F to receive a fastening pin or stake G, which may be driven, into the ground to hold the foot or lower end of the anchor-brace firmly in place.

By the described construction, as will be seen, the cable is braced and supported at suitable intervals against vertical as well as lateral strains, whereby the fence is adapted to resist lateral or sidewise pressure and also any force tending to uplift the same, and cannot be blown over by high winds nor torn down by the pressure of cattle nor lifted by hogs rooting under the panels. Moreover, it dispenses with the use of expensive posts except at the two extremities of the line or at more or less remotely-separated points along the line in case of a fence of great length or when the fence is built upon rolling ground.

In order to move the fence, it is only necessary to unwrap the ends of the flexible wire fastenings, knock out the stakes, release the cable, and then place the entire outfit on a wagon to be hauled to any desired point, where the fence may be again readily and quickly erected for further use. If it is desired to make the fence permanent, blocks may be placed under the ends of the lowest rail of each panel in order to support it off the ground and prevent rotting; but merely as a portable fence the lower ends of the uprights 0 O'are preferably slightly embedded or allowed to settle a few inches in the soil, so as to hold the lower portions of the fence firmly in place. By reason of the described construction and connection between the anchor-braces and cable such bars are needed only on one side of the fence, but may be used upon both sides, if desired.

The advantages of the improvement will readily appear to farmers and others familiar with the use of such fences. Some of the advantages of such a fence are as follows:

(a) It can be built rapidly. No posts have to be set, no holes dug, except at the ends for the end braces. In building a string of fence the cable is first stretched, then the panels are hauled on a wagon and one at a time attached to the cable by means of the flexible wires. Each an chor-brace is attached to the cable also by flexible wire and tea stake at the lower end, the stake being driven in such a manner as to draw the brace tight.

(b) It can be built on a hillside just as well and easily as on level ground, since the anchor-brace may stand at any angle, even in a horizontal position, or, if preferred, may be made shorter.

(c) The improvement maybe used in a wirefence construction just as well as in a board fence, uprights being attached to the wires at proper intervals by means of staples and the upper wire serving as the cable to which the anchorrbraces are fastened.

(d) The anchor brace is attached just where it is needed, since the strain on a fence is at the top, where stock reach over and push.

(6) It will not wash away in low ground subject to an overflow in time of high water, since it will act in the manner of a watergap, swinging up from the bottom and allowing the current free passage. In such ground, of course, where a permanent fence is desired, an occasional post should be firmly planted, to which the cable may be fastened.

(f) It will successfully turn stock. A hog cannot lift one of the panels or push it to one side and get through without lifting the whole fence.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In a portable fence, the combination of the cable stretched between anchor-posts at remote distances apart, diagonally-disposed braces arranged at intervals along the line of the fence having hook-like upper ends embracing the cable, means for confining the cable in said hooks, means for firmly securing the lower ends of said braces to the ground, and a series of panels of fence arranged along the line of the cable with their upper portions detachably secured thereto and their lower portions resting upon the ground, substantially as described.

2. In a portable fence, the combination with remotely-separated anchor-posts, of a cable connecting the same, diagonallydisposed braces at intervals along one side of the fence having their upper portions detachably secured to said cable and their lower portions firmly but detachably secured to the ground, and a series of fence-panels arranged along the line of the cable with their upper portions detachably secured thereto and their lower portions resting on the ground, whereby said panels are sustained against both lateral and upward strains without throwing their weight on the cable, while the several parts are rendered easily detachable for removal of the fence from place to place.

3. In a portable fence, the combination with the cable, stretched between anchor-posts firmly secured at a suitable distance apart, of a series of panels of fencing material having uprights projecting above and below the horizontal plane of longitudinally-disposed strips or boards secured to said uprights; the upper projections of said uprights being tied to said cable and the lower projections thereof resting upon the ground, and a series of anohor-braces having their upper ends tied to said cable between adjacent uprights at the ends of adjacent panels and their lower ends firmly secured to the ground.

4. In a portable fence, the anchor-posts and cable stretched between the same and a series of detachable fence-panels arranged along the line of said cable with their upper portions detachably secured thereto and their lower portions resting on the ground, in combination with a series of braces having inclined recesses at their upper ends in which said cable is fitted, means for tying the cable in said recesses, and means for firmly securing the lower ends of said braces to the ground, whereby the fence-panels are firmly but detachably secured in place and sustainedagainst lateral and upward strains without weight on the cable.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALLEN L. WEST.

Witnesses:

WI'LBER WEST, FRANK B. MILLS. 

